The archive contains posts about tuning instruments and vocals.
Are you frustrated that your guitar or synth chords sound out of tune? Do you want to sing in tune? Many of the following posts deal with how to retune guitars and synths so they sound better. Other posts deal with singing or playing in tune.
However, the tuning posts do not stop at the simple question of how to tune a guitar or a synth. They also look at the deeper questions of what does it mean to be in tune and how to tune better.
When musicians tune instruments, they bring the instruments’ notes into agreement with a cultural standard. The standard remains different for fixed pitch instruments, such as the piano, than for flexible pitch instruments, such as the voice.
In Western culture, equal temperament remains the standard for fixed pitch instruments. It allows the instrument to have a manageable number of notes. Also, all twelve scales remain usable.
However, the chords sound barely in tune. Therefore, many of the posts in the archive talk about how to tune instruments using Supplemented Equal Temperament (SET). SET is an enhanced version of equal temperament. Thus, chords sound better in SET than in equal temperament.
Flexible pitch instruments, such as the voice, violin, brass, and woodwind families, have the ability to adjust their pitch as they play. Consequently, many of the archive posts deal with vocal intonation. (Though any flexible pitch instrumentalist will benefit from the ear training.)
To help them achieve this, the singing posts have specially tuned sing-along songs that train vocalists to sing melodies and harmonies accurately.
© 2021 Geoffrey Keith
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Do you have a hard time recreating on the synth the xylophone sounds from your favorite world music? Do you want to know how to tune the African balafon? The tuning and tone color of an instrument are closely tied together. Keep reading to get info and tips for synthesizing an African balafon style xylophone sound. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Do you want to sing Eastern European folk melodies and mediaeval chants? Are you puzzled about how the aeolian mode works? Modes have been a feature of music from ancient times to today. Singing Shape Note Solfege Aeolian Melodies lets you explore the exotic sound of the aeolian mode. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Have you ever wondered how Eastern European vocalists sing polyphony in parallel 2nds? Do you want to know how world music works? Understanding world music involves stepping outside your own perspective and seeing from the world musician’s point of view instead. Click to answer the question, “How do you sing Eastern European vocal harmony in 2nds by ear?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
“I have a hard time hitting my notes. Can I use the piano to learn singing?” That depends. For some things, the piano will be a real asset for learning to sing. However, for others, the piano creates more problems than it solves. Click to answer the question, “Can I learn singing on the piano?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
“How do I switch from singing shaped notes to standard notation?” Because they’re easy to read, shape notes will always be a good choice for struggling readers, and it makes a great introduction to solfege too. However, the limited shape note repertoire means that shape note singers may want to learn to read standard notation as well. Click to learn how to transition from shaped notes to standard notation. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
“Why does my guitar sound out of tune even after I’ve tuned it? Is it possible to tune a guitar perfectly?” Yes, it is possible to tune a guitar perfectly, and it’ll give your sound a boost! Click to find out how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Why is it important to sing the dynamics for a piece of music? Dynamics play an important role in notated music, helping bring interest and variety to your songs. If you want help understanding how dynamic signs work, click to answer the question: “Why is it important to define the dynamics to sing a piece of music?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Have you ever marveled at how some people can easily sing with a beautiful tone? Do you need help learning how to harmonize in tune? Good news! Vocal harmonizing can be learned, and the sing-along soundtracks will help. Click to find out how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Have you ever wondered why just intonation sounds different in different keys? This happens because the structure of just intonation diverges from equal temperament (the modern tuning standard), resulting in a different sound. Click to learn the answer to the question, “Why do just intonation keys have different aural characteristics?” Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
“What purpose do accidentals serve in reading sheet music?” Sharps, flats, and naturals (collectively called accidentals) grew out of a problem that needed to be fixed in the mediaeval music notation. The music theorists of the time slapped their fix onto the preexisting notation system, and that fix is still with us to this day. However, having confused generations of budding musicians, the results of the fix leave a lot to be desired. Click to answer the question, “What purpose do accidentals serve in reading sheet music?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.